


I Should've Written it Down

by InkuisitivSkins



Series: Tumblr Drabbles / Prompts [1]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: A little bit of family drama, Family, Family Fluff, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-26
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 03:42:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11304972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InkuisitivSkins/pseuds/InkuisitivSkins
Summary: Olivier never had a good relationship with her family, except for her youngest sister Catherine. Years later, Olivier hopes to find a good gift for her sister's birthday, yet past anxieties continue to haunt her.





	I Should've Written it Down

**Author's Note:**

> For a "Drabble Challenge" askmeme on tumblr, #28-- "I should've written it down."  
> Thank you to my friend princesstuttu (or opheliasashes on here) for sending me this ask!

Olivier ran both hands through her hair, groaning loudly as her brother watched her in silence. “I didn’t know it was this soon,” she complained as she glared down at her schedule. It was full of notes, some being written on the sides rather than in the day sections where they should be due to the lack of space, her beautiful calligraphic handwriting juxtaposing the clutter. On it were meeting times, inspection days for Briggs, and other important events, but one thing was absent– Catherine’s twentieth birthday.

Olivier didn’t often participate in holidays and celebrations with her family– partially because she was always at Briggs (and it wasn’t as if she could just take a day off of commanding the fort), also partially because she didn’t particularly enjoy being around her family. She was very different from her siblings, and she didn’t have the best relationship with her parents, who had often discouraged her from joining the military in favor of marrying young and continuing the Armstrong bloodline. Despite this, it was no secret that Olivier got along best with her youngest sister, and it was on this business meeting to Central when Alex reminded Olivier of their sister’s special day.

“I should’ve written it down,” Olivier sighed, straightening in her seat. “You’re sure it’s today?”

“Yes, Sister,” Alex replied, slightly confused. “Though I didn’t think you cared much for birthdays…?”

While that was true, even of her own, Olivier felt differently this time. “She was the closest to me when we were young; I felt like I was always the big sister she looked up to, and I was the one who helped raise her with Mother and Father the most,” She paused, eyes lowered. _Then I left for the Military Academy and we lost touch._ After that, Catherine seemed to fade within the rest of the family, being lumped in with the people Olivier never really wanted to see. She had debated several times on if she should invite her youngest sister to dinner or even just coffee whenever the general was down in Central, yet she always hesitated– what would Catherine think? Would it be awkward between them, or does Catherine harbor some unseen spite for Olivier? Did she feel as if her big sister had left her all alone when she left to train for the army?

Alex sensed that she was deep in thought, so he leaned forward slightly to get her attention, “The day isn’t yet over, Sister, you could always still do something. We were all going to go to dinner tomorrow night, though I know you will be on your train back to Briggs by then…”

“I’ll get her something,” Olivier replied, closing her planner with resolve. A beat passed, and her shoulders sagged again, “But what do you get a young woman who already has everything?”

The general was never the type to give gifts, but she felt as if this birthday was special. Her sister was twenty– it was a big deal, even to the major general.

Alex thought for a moment, then gave his sister one of his signature smiles– even though his mouth was hidden by his mustache, he still glowed, “I know she always used to love the jewelry and makeup you had when she was little. Remember how you used to play dress-up with her?”

Olivier couldn’t hold back a frown. The memory itself was a shadow, a dark mirror reflecting the sullen times she had gone through before she found herself within the Amestrian military– yet the specific remembrance of good times with her youngest sister didn’t make the memory all that bad. 

“You never wear the jewelry anymore, and it just sits here in your old room. Maybe you could give something like that to her?”

“I don’t just want to give her some secondhand thing,” the woman replied, unsure.

“Find something that really brings back memories,” the larger man responded cheerily. “Was there anything that she would put on every time the two of you played?”

Olivier was silent for a moment before nodding.

“I’ll go look right now.”

The general went up to her room, immediately disgusted. She actually liked the color pink, despite what many of her soldiers thought, but her old princess-esque room left a sour taste in her mouth. The nights she spent crying, unsure of what her life would become; not wanting to do what her family wanted, yet not knowing what her calling was– if she even had a calling at all– haunted her as she went to her vanity to look through all of the old accessories. 

_No, no, no_ , she thought, rummaging carelessly, until her fingertips brushed a familiar smoothness. The sensation immediately brought back flashes– happy ones; moments where she would forget her problems in favor of spending time and having fun with her sister. 

_These will do nicely_. 

 

“Catherine,” Olivier spoke quickly as she spotted her sister ascending the stairs. She had been out all day, celebrating with friends, to Olivier’s gratefulness. It had given her time to wrap her gift. “Could you come here for a moment?”

Catherine glanced over at her and gave her a small smile before descending again. She had always been polite, but Olivier never knew if it was genuine friendliness or pure formalities, “Yes, Sister?”

Olivier was silent for a moment, unsure of what to say. She handed the small box to the shorter woman– though they were nearly the same height (they were the only two of the Armstrong children who were normal-sized, actually) and continued quietly, “I didn’t know what to get you, I hope this is okay.”

“O-oh,” Catherine blinked, long eyelashes brushing her cheekbones as she took the box, genuinely surprised. She opened it, rather curious, “You didn’t have to get me anything, Olivier.”

“Twenty’s a big deal, especially if you’re living in a family as rough as ours,” The older replied, rather lightheartedly. Catherine’s eyes widened and a big smile crossed her face as she saw the matte shine of the necklace Olivier had wrapped. The pearls on it were small and beautiful, much unlike some of the large, gaudier pearl necklaces Olivier had seen in her days. “Do you remember it?”

“Of course I do!” Catherine said, immediately enveloping Olivier in a tight hug. Thankfully, she didn’t use her infamous Armstrong strength. “Thank you so much!”

Rather surprised by the sudden affection, Olivier’s next words came out of her as a stammer, “I-I’m sorry for leaving you all those years ago. I know how difficult it is to grow up as a woman in this family, and I was so eager to get out… I should have tried harder to not lose touch with you.”

Catherine smiled, letting her go. “Don’t worry about that. What time do you leave tomorrow?”

Olivier blinked, “Three in the afternoon, why?”

“Why don’t we go grab coffee and catch up before then?” Catherine offered, beaming. “I have so much to tell you, you wouldn’t believe it.”

For the first time in a while, Olivier felt the corners of her lips curl into a small smile, “I’d like that.”


End file.
